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At Least 2 Deaths Reported in Massive E.Coli Ground Beef Recall

Fairbank Farms reports over 500,000 pounds contaminated

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

November 2, 2009

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26 people have been sickened and 2 people may have died due to ingesting ground beef contaminated with a potentially fatal strain of E.coil, health officials said Monday.

New York company Fairbank Farms of Ashville, New York has recalled more than 500,000 pounds of ground beef due to the contamination.

One of the deaths was a New York adult with several underlying health complications, said officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The other was a previously reported death in New Hampshire due to complications from the infection.

The CDC said there were a total of 28 cases of infection, including 16 hospitalizations. The agency said all but three of the infections were in the northeastern United States, with the majority in New England.

Fairbank Farms confirmed on Friday that approximately 545,699 pounds of its fresh ground beef products -- sold under seven different store labels -- may contain the potentially deadly E. coli O157:H7E, which causes bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and can lead to kidney failure.

The company sold the recalled products to distributors in eight states, including Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The company since learned some of its customers may have redistributed the tainted ground beef to other states.

"Our current priorities are to inform the public and address their concerns," Ron Allen, CEO of Fairbank Farms, said in a written statement. "Further, we want to help them to identify and remove any of the recalled products that may be in their freezers."

All the recalled beef is past its expiration date by 23-32 days, Allen said, and is longer being sold as "fresh" in supermarkets.

"We are urging consumers to check their freezers for ground beef products that are listed in the recall," Allen said. "Consumers who identify these products should return them to the point of purchase for a full refund."

List of recalled products

The ground beef products included in this "high health risk" recall are:

• Trader Joe's products: 1-pound packages of "Trader Joe's Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef 85/15," and 1-pound packages of "Trader Joe's Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef 80/20." Those two products may have sell-by dates of October 6 or 7, 2009. Also recalled are 1-pound trays of "Trader Joe's Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef Patties 96/4 Extra Lean," and 1-pound trays of "Trader Joe's Butcher Shop Fine Quality Meats Ground Beef Patties 85/15."

• Price Chopper products: 1- and 2.5-pound trays of "Price Chopper Meatloaf & Meatball Mix," 1-pound trays of "Price Chopper Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/4," and 1-pound trays of "Price Chopper Fresh Ground Beef Chuck For Chili 80 Percent Lean 20 Percent Fat."

• Lancaster and Wild Harvest products: 1-pound trays of "Lancaster Brand 96/4 Extra Lean Ground Beef," 1-and 2-pound trays of "Lancaster Brand 90/10 Ground Beef," and 1-pound trays of "Wild Harvest Natural 85/15 Angus Ground Beef."

• Shaw's products: 1- and 2-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Beef 93/7," 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Beef 80/20," 1- and 3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Beef 75/25," 1.3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Sirloin Beef Patties 90/10," 1.3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Round Beef Patties 85/15," 1.3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Beef Patties 80/20," 3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Beef Patties Family Pack 80/20," 1-pound trays of "Shaw's Angus Ground Beef 85/15," 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Beef 85/15," 1-pound trays of "Shaw's 90 Percent Natural Ground Beef," 1-pound trays of "Shaw's 85 Percent Natural Ground Beef," 1-, 2- and 3-pound trays of "Shaw's Fresh Ground Sirloin 90/10," and 1-pound trays of "Meatloaf & Meatball Mix"

• BJ's products: 5-pound trays of "Fresh Ground Beef, Contains 15 Percent Fat" patties, 3- and 5-pound trays of "Lean Ground Beef, Contains 7 Percent Fat," and 2.5-pound trays of "Meatloaf & Meatball Mix"

• Ford Brothers products: 3-pound trays of "Fresh Ground Beef, Contains 20 Percent Fat" patties;

• Giant products: 1-pound trays of "Giant Extra Lean Ground Beef 96/4," 1-pound trays of "Giant Meatloaf & Meatball Mix," 1-pound trays of "Giant Nature's Promise Ground Beef," and 1-pound trays of "Giant Nature's Promise Ground Beef Patties."

All the recalled packages have the establishment number "EST. 492" inside the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) mark of inspection or on the nutrition label.

The recall also includes cases of 10-pound Fairbank Farms fresh ground beef chubs (for store grind) with sell by dates of October 3, 2009, October 4, 2009, or October 5, 2009. Those dates, however, may not be on the package labels. The company distributed these products to retailers in Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia for further processing.

Fairbank Farms said it packaged the potentially tainted beef on September 15 and 16, 2009, and the retail stores may have labeled the products with sell-by dates from September 19 through 28, 2009, unless otherwise noted.

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said it learned about the possible contamination while investigating a cluster of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses.

FSIS officials, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health and agriculture departments, discovered a link between the recalled ground beef and illnesses in Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts.

Consumers with questions about the recall should contact Fairbank Farms' consumer hotline at 1-877-546-0122.

Safety tips for cooking beef

FSIS officials said consumers should only eat raw meat products that have been cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, which will kill harmful bacteria.

The agency also offered the following safety tips for handling fresh and frozen ground beef:

• Wash hands with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Wash cutting boards, dishes and utensils with hot, soapy water. Immediately clean spills.

• Keep raw meat, fish, and poultry away from other food that is not being cooked. Use separate cutting boards for raw meat, poultry and egg products and cooked foods.

• Color is not a reliable indicator that ground beef or ground beef patties have been cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria, like E. coli O157:H7. The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked high enough is to use a thermometer to measure the internal temperature.

• Refrigerate raw meat and poultry within two hours after purchase or one hour if temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerate cooked meat and poultry within two hours after cooking.

Consumers can contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHOTLINE or visit the agency's Web site for additional food safety tips.

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